The National tribune. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1877-1917, 1887-10-13


time a member Of T5ttcn's battery, 2d L. 5.
Art Feb 10, 1852, he took command Of Battery
], list No Art. IN August 1852, be was trans
fcrrcd 10 the command of the 18th Wis. bat
terry IN Spring OF 1863 was assigned 10 the
command Of Battery IL, LIST No. Art, better
known as Wclkcr's Revolving. Battery" and
was subsequently on detached service with the
9th Ohio battery, A. A.A.-G. Artillery Brigade
Fourth Corps, and Inspector of Artillery tia
the close Of the war EDITOR NATIONAL TEIE-
UNE
ST LoUIs, May %, 1861.
To TIT EDITOR o. THE SCIoTo GAZETTE.
DEAR SIR. Having seen several different ac-
counts of tho surrender Of Camp jackson, near
This city, and having found some Of them
grossly Incorrect j deem it my duty rs par
uclpGut lu the affair 10 correct some OF the
many errors contained in those statements
Being soldier Of the Regular Army Of The
United States, aHd one who took an active par;
iG tue affair, I claim 10 have better KNOW
edge OF ID than those who were mere spccta-
tors ana al The beginning Of the fire fed for
safety.
The regiments -four I'M number lying at the
arsenal. had been notified TO hold themselves
in readiness for marching on the morning Of
tho ln,h ut Nav. Tho companies were ordered
90 form about 10 oCiocl, 81. m., but did not COM
muucg theig march iur the scene of action uu-
al about p. m. Tho distance from the arsenal
totlo camp Jackson by the road we took was
hD.HrCn iour and five miles but little time
was required t0traycl this distance on COM
iu- near iAn Cucmy's cucamrmcnt our soldiers
were nearly All expecting an encounter and
manifested much willingness 20 trhtn rcluIr-
ca % accomplish the purpose oi their visit
The movement was SO arranged that the -four
regiments arrived simultaneously on the four
sides of the camp thus perfectly surrounding
the ruomy.
Atthis moment our soldiers, encouraged by
4 tH.r officers, set up shout as n 10 defiance,
/ q. .uu"za The enemy were mostly in tents aud
+ t.gir number unknown 10 as. This had the
effect t0 uilmiaaic the enemy il they ever had
a4sr courage. and 10 render thorn our easy vie
il.s. Many minutes passed before the cheer
iHg for The lu.an and The old flag Of our faith
Crs died away The scene was IdCsCrhahly
patriotic ana grand The news having been
announced that tho enemy had uucoudjtionaily
surrendered, all thcssIdlory, even our company
Of Regulars (which had been forbidden TO
cheer. rent The air with their dcalening
" huuahs Tor the Union
There was, however, in the breasts Of some a
feeling of modification. Expecting that the
/ enemy would fight, they hoped that they might
have am opportunity TO aycnge the wrongs that
had been done their friends and the Union; that
I Sumter and Baltimore might be remembered,
not by Zen ta.i0ltS, but that the enemies Of our
glorious old Government might feel that She
has yet patriotic hearts and strong arms TO de-
/ lcud her.
Would that ] could but describe the feelings
that filled my breast at that mOmCut. The
thought that the cause of the preservation Of
our beloved c0untrys liberty was frightening
. cheeIel me, and almost made me wish for an
I opportunity 10 ayCuge myself upon the black
hearted traitors TO our once happy country.
After the excitement Of the surrender had
somewhat subsidei and the prisoners were
being marched %, crowds Of citizens, some of
4 them armed with rcVOlycrs collected and COM
mcncCa abusing the United States Regulars.
They used the yllcst epithcts that tongue could
express against US, some OF them mistaking the
. Regulars Tor the German volunteers
A row seemed almost inevitable, for the mob
Of citizens ana some of the prisoners that were
still around and refused 10 surrender COM
menced an attack upon an unarmcd Union
man. This reused us 10 madness, aud one Of
our Captains SaXton) drew his sword aud
rushed in TO protect him, and was himself at
tackled by the rebels. Some Of rs then charged
I bayOnets on them and forced them 20 release
the Captain and get over the fence nearby. The
excitement was now very great. and the Regu-
lars could hardly be restrained from discharg-
ing their pieces But we were ordered not 10
FIRE, and must obey. At this moment one Of
the Secession mob drew his revolver on Capt.
SaXt0n and tried TO fire, but was knocked down
by one of the Regulars. The same man after
ward fired three times at the Captain, but
missed his aim, and was himself shot down by
one Of the Green Nagersn a volunteer As
previously stated, the order was given us not
10 fire, and 10 move forward in single file ON
each side Of the prisoners which was sulleny
Obeyed. We had moved but few PAGES Whcn
the German volunteers Immediately in the rear
came alongside OF the rebels, when a shower Of
bricks, clubs, etc. was hurled amongst them
and several OF them were Knocked down. Bit
ter curses were uttered against the volunteers,
aud they were dared 10 ERE. Next the mob
fired upon them, but still they remained inn
movable as statues till their Captain (Blan-
dowskyJ was shot aud gave the order TO fire Is
he fell Then the firing began in earnest.
Again the Regulars were reused 10 madness.
and formed Immediately for the charge. and
the ruillc OF the drum sounded "cease firing"
or nothing could have averted the dreadful car
mage that would inevitably have followed, for
they were completely aroused at the report Of
the firearms. The fallcn-the shTieks and
grOans OF the dying and wounded-was enough
10 cause what would have followed had not the
timely sound Of the drum prevented il.
After the firing had ceased, the dead and
wounded attended 10, and the prisoners all
secured, we again moved slowly forward and
reached the city, where we were greeted by
shouts and cheers for the Union and the sur
render Of Camp Jackson and many other pa
triotic manifestations by the people. Now and
then could be heard a cheer for JEFF Davis, but
they were few. Nine o'clock at night we ar
rived at the arsenal from whence we started,
aud our participation in the tragical affair
ended except marching out the prisoners after
their taking tho oath never" TO take up arms
against the Government of the United States
during the present civil war.
LORENZO ID. IMMELL, Cd u. S. Art.